Extra Life

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

I met up with Ted and Rob at The Game Castle last night they had the new Sails of Glory game and we gave it a try.

Rob took the French ships while Ted took the English ship of the line and I took the English frigate HMS Terpsichore a ship of 32 guns.

The wind was blowing from left to right across the table... initially I did well

Crossing the T of the English Frigate once and then after a lucky turn where Rob turned away then back..

I crossed his T again landing several good hits had we been alone and had the table not had and edge I think I would have been in good shape.

The ships of the line exchanged broad sides then circles away from each other..... I was running out of see room after passing with in musket shot of the French Frigate

My maneuvers got me trapped in irons, (sailing into the wind)

Ted has to fight against both ships the two Ships of the line are battering each-other and the French frigate is hurting as well

Still in irons I am raked by the French

I take some damage but Ted Finishes off the smaller French ship....

I take more damage

and so does Ted... and the English Ship of the line losses her crew... now its me and the French ship of the line though I am trying to escape but...

though I get one last shot in on the French battleship I turn to tightly and you guessed it I am in irons again! With a French ship of the line on my rear quarter I try to strike but Rob is feeling blood thirsty and sinks me (barbarian).

Over all I liked the game it was reasonably realistic with out being too complex. I am still not sure about the models they look a little too toy like for my taste. The price point is higher than I would like (I believe the set goes for $75.) for 4 ships, and a full set of rules and tokens. This is one of those I will wait and see if we play this regularly before I consider investing.

Monday, January 27, 2014

I met Nick on Sunday to introduce him to the game Longstreet. Rather
than use a point build I started with the starting campaign armies and
did the post battle process (assuming 3 casualties to each unit). This
gave me two very balanced forces. My assumption is both nick and I have
step into brigade command in 1862 after our predecessors were promoted or
removed. Nicks army was a little larger and all his men were Eager where as I had one unit of Seasoned. Each of us had one veteran.

We rolled up meeting engagement which is a good starter set. We did not use the terrain cards but sort of placed bits until we both felt the board looked good (this is standard practice at the Whiz)

As you can see we each had a cramped deployment situation. Nick had on regiment off board.

Forward Texas!

Nick found a good position early on and took it up a defensive stance.

Nick who is using and Artillery Officer opened up with his three Light Rifles...

the 1st Texas(upper right) was his favorite target. My artillery had to get in closer as I had a Howitzer with a range of only 18 inches. I tried to suppress his battery to cover the 1st Texas but had no success.

I sent the 1st Texas against the guns while the 4th Texas covered their right flank the 5th Texas and 18th Georgia were on the left. My cavalry was trying to move to the left but got confused and basically never got into position.

I used Confusion to send the cavalry back but Nick Froze the 1st Texas with the Old Rivals card saving his guns for a turn and denying my Epic points for the charge

The 5th Texas did some damage but on his turn Nick sent them reeling back.

His charge on the Right was also successful driving back the 4th Texas.

As you can see the 1st Texas was more or less all alone!

I charged anyway destroying the guns but follow up charges were turned back by they Yankees. At this point I started back pedaling. I used "Pinkerton Intelligence" to freeze the attack that almost certainly would have broken my army. I had lost 15 stands and Nick had lost 14 but he did not get a 5-6 two turn in a row. The Second time I checked I did get a 6 and "won." Truth is this was a Union Victory snatched from nick by the high command losing it nerve. Or so we play it assuming that a courier from McClellan ordered him to retreat in the face of "Overwhelming rebel numbers" just as victory was in his hands.

After the game we again did the post battle process both of us promoted several unit to Veteran. Nick replaced part of his artillery losses. My army suffered a lot of camp fever and had several fall in Elan. I did get a new 6 stand Seasoned Veteran unit. I also got a light and a heavy Rifle which is one of the best confederate artillery cards. I did not get much in the way of replacement so I have several 4 base infantry units. Nick and I hope to do it again next month (or early March).

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Adrian is still working on the exact scenario for Total Con event that he and Jon are putting one (with help from my self and Cortland). So to learn the rules we did a scenario where Cortland was ordered to destroy a village and kill the civilians. Technically I had civilians in my force as the French commander but the just hid in the oddly Gothic buildings.

I had two more Native force that were using hidden movement intended for a flank movement.

My natives got an early hit on the rangers.

Red Coats close in on my natives, this was the space were I spent almost 20 minutes waiting while all the card draws went to Cortland. I have concerns about how this will work in a con... some players might walk off out of boredom.

We Engage Cortland wins the the first round then the cards all go my way...

I hit them between two units win the first round then lose in the subsequent one..

My native would rally and take out the regulars leaving Cortland with no option but to march into the cross fire.

Many French regulars are hit but natives and French muskets kill many provincials forcing them to run..

They break for the woods and with draw with the rangers. The game did not run as sooth as the last one but Adrian is our rules guru so that is not surprising. I don't think we feel ready for Totalcon but all in all I suspect we'll make it work. This was also my first trip to Battle Ground Games and Hobbies While they have little in the way of Historical games they did have a lot of X-wing, Warhammer and Mage-Knight and other games.